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Why San Antonio Spurs, not Miami Heat, are NBA model

Every team wants to reach the NBA Finals, and one of this year's finalists provides a path. Simply put: The Miami Heat were built in a difficult method, while the San Antonio Spurs were built more traditionally.

MIAMI — Back when the rest of the NBA world was lamenting the super team that had been built in Miami in the summer of 2010, Gregg Popovich was congratulating Pat Riley, the man who had pulled it off.

"He put together a team fairly, within the rules, that is a monster," the San Antonio Spurs coach said. "So why wouldn't he get credit for that? Why wouldn't you congratulate him for that? So I did."

Three years later, the Spurs are reminding the masses that there's more than one way to contend for the crown, and the two contrasting ways in which a championship team can be built are on display in the fascinating NBA Finals matchup.

The Spurs program that has yielded four championships since 1999 is the antithesis of the Heat's approach, with their core players coming via the draft and with a focus on international talent that has helped soften the competitive blow that comes with being in a small market.

That's a sharp contrast to Miami, where next season Heat owner Micky Arison is prepared to write David Stern a check for $37 million because of the ever-increasing luxury tax rate for owners.

"Their team was put together through the draft — the way that people feel is the right way," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "And ours was put together a little differently. So the conversation is different. We understand that.

"We're not trying to be the Spurs. We're not going to get the same treatment and same talk. Vice-versa, I'm sure they don't want to be us."

The Spurs' route is the most popular way these days, the strategy seen as more viable in an NBA landscape in which the collective bargaining agreement makes it so hard to have more than two max-salary (or near max-salary) players on one roster and draft picks are even more precious than before.

The drafting of Tim Duncan first overall out of Wake Forest in 1997 was the most important — and obvious — move of them all. But as Spurs owner Peter Holt said recently, Duncan has had more than 100 teammates in his 16 seasons. Popovich and longtime general manager R.C. Buford have always managed to surround him with the right pieces, and they've almost always done it through the draft.

Manu Ginobili of Argentina was the 57th pick in 1999, continued to play in Italy and joined the Spurs in 2002. Tony Parker of France was the 28th pick in 2001. Small forward Kawhi Leonard (15th pick out of San Diego State) arrived in a draft-day deal with Indiana two years ago that sent point guard George Hill to the Pacers. Shooting guard Danny Green started his career as a second-round pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, but he was cut after one season and signed a modest free agent contract with the Spurs en route to his career taking off in San Antonio.

But landing the talent is only the first step — the Spurs have kept their players, too. Their winning culture and consistency from ownership on down has made it hard to leave and encouraged players to do what is seemingly impossible in most corners of the NBA: take a pay cut for the greater good.

To wit: Tim Duncan went from earning about $21 million in the 2011-12 season to signing a three-year deal last summer that paid him $30 million combined. Parker, whose play in the regular season and playoffs has put him in the discussion as the game's best point guard, signed a four-year, $50 million deal in the summer of 2010 that was below market value. Ginobili will be a free agent this summer, and chances are he'll become the latest to follow this trend that is so key for the Spurs.

"A lot of credit (goes) to Pop and to R.C. and the rest of the front office, (who) continue to change our team, to Pop (for) changing the team with the times as the team has become more of scorers and whatever else," Duncan said. "They make those adjustments, and we're comfortable playing with each other. Tony and Manu and myself, we've been on that court for a long time."

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Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan have been together since 2002, but their Spurs counterparts change all the time. Here's an alphabetical look at how every Spur ended up with the team for the 2013 NBA Finals.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

Aron Baynes, center: The New Zealand native went undrafted out of Washington State in 2009, spent a few years overseas and joined the Spurs in January, earning limited minutes but one playoff start.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports

DeJuan Blair, forward: The 6-7 powerhouse was drafted 37th overall by the Spurs after being co-Big East Conference player of the year at Pittsburgh and has found a comfortable role as the Spurs' fifth big man.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

Matt Bonner, forward: The sharp-shooting big man was dealt to the Spurs by the Raptors in 2006 as part of a package for Rasho Nesterovic. He has since developed into an integral part of the Spurs' bench.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

Tim Duncan, center: The 16-year future Hall of Famer was the No. 1 pick in the 1997 draft and led the Spurs to his first of four rings at the end of his second season.
Brendan Maloney, USA TODAY Sports

Manu Ginobili, shooting guard: The sixth man extraordinaire was drafted 57th overall, the penultimate pick, in 1999 but didn't join the Spurs until 2002 after sticking around in Italy for a few years. He has been a key part of three championships since.
Spruce Derden, USA TODAY Sports

Danny Green, shooting guard: The team's top shooter, a first-year starter, was drafted 46th overall in the 2009 draft by the Cavaliers, who waived him a year later when he signed with the Spurs.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

Cory Joseph, guard: The key reserve was picked 29th overall in 2011 and has split time between the Spurs and the NBA Development League while developing into Tony Parker's top backup.
Spruce Derden, USA TODAY Sports

Kawhi Leonard, small forward: The second-year pro was drafted 15th overall in 2011 by the Pacers and traded immediately after as the key part of a package to acquire George Hill from the Spurs. He is in his first year as a starter.
Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

Tracy McGrady, guard: The former NBA scoring champion signed with the Spurs in April and didn't play a single regular-season game but has played in blowouts during the postseason.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports

Patty Mills, guard: The Australian starred at St. Mary's and played two seasons for the Trail Blazers before joining the Spurs in the middle of last season as their third point guard.
Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Gary Neal, guard: The former Towson star was undrafted in 2007 and spent several years in Europe before landing with the Spurs in 2010 as a free agent and quickly becoming a top reserve.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

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The Heat went big and aimed for multiple titles when they created their Big Three. It was a bold and difficult — if not near-impossible — way to build a championship team: overnight with three All-Stars. To assemble the roster, the Heat needed a handful of expiring contracts and players on rookie deals to clear enough salary cap space to sign James, Wade and Bosh, who each took a little less money, although that meant $17.5 million apiece for James and Bosh and $17 million for Wade this season, $19 million apiece for Bosh and James and $18.5 million for Wade next season. All three can become free agents after the 2013-14 season. This team was built to win and win now.

One factor in the construction of the Heat has been ignored over the past three seasons. Miami, too, has found players in the draft and made smart, financially sound free agent signings. Udonis Haslem was an undrafted free agent when the Heat signed him in 2003, and guards Mario Chalmers (2008) and Norris Cole (2011) were second- and first-round picks, respectively.

What the two teams share is a commitment to winning and a system that supports that, from management to coaches to players. Riley has been with the Heat since 1995, and Popovich with the Spurs since 1994.

"The only thing I've known since I've come in the league is the Spurs have been run by Popovich and the Miami Heat have been run by Pat Riley," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "You have very similar structures and a commitment to a culture where there's a structure within the culture, there's a discipline, there's a style of play, there's a type of player.

"It's not a coincidence that a lot of free agents have run through both organizations because we're looking for similar players of a similar fabric. Both organizations are committed to defense, knowing that you have to be able to defend and have two-way players to be able to play for the ultimate prize. But ultimately, I think both organizations also have the respect around the league for that type of culture."

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The Heat were built around Dwyane Wade, left, and LeBron James, center, with supporting pieces such as Ray Allen brought into the fold. Here's how they were pieced together.
Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

Norris Cole, guard: The flat-topped point guard joined the Heat in a 2011 draft-day deal after being selected 28th overall by the Bulls out of Cleveland State using a pick the Heat previously had traded for Chris Bosh.
Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James, small forward: The four-time MVP joined the Heat from the Cavaliers in his infamous 2010 televised free agency pick, but it actually was through a sign-and-trade that cost the Heat four draft picks.
Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

James Jones, forward: The University of Miami (Fla.) product joined the Heat as a free agent in 2008 but was waived in 2010 before being brought back on a smaller contract.
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